Our Writers Recommend...(28/12/20)

ALBUM: Evermore by Taylor Swift

Evermore is a lyrically complex album that explores grief, death and love with the finest eloquence. This album marks Swift’s second album in the last six months, both of which she wrote during lockdown. The external, distressing atmosphere of 2020 sets the background for both Folklore and Evermore, however, Swift’s recent album focuses on the possibility of hope, presenting the idea of optimism for 2021. Folklore and Evermore showcase her talent for fictional narration as her storylines interweave between the songs, inviting a listener to focus on the power of her lyrics as she discusses plots from various perspectives, bringing characterisation into her music. Evermore is the perfect album for the winter, especially as we continue to face uncertainty and acts as a private comfort blanket, allowing readers to escape into the world of folklore. 

Maya Sargent


DOCUMENTARY: The Trials of Oscar Pistorius

Available on BBC iPlayer.

Despite the four-part documentary series accounting to six hours, every minute of this documentary is as gripping as the last. It explores Oscar’s life as a child, the loss of his mother, South African politics, his life as an amputee and Reeva’s murder. The documentary includes interviews from his family, his ex-girlfriend, friends of Reeva and families Oscar helped. It takes a look at the bias within media and how news stories began to tangle drugs and gender-based violence with the murder. Often when the Pistorius trial is discussed, the focus is on Oscar rather than the loss of Reeva and her family’s pain, however this documentary ensures that the Steenkamp family’s feelings are noted. Footage from the court case, which is both distressing and cruel, is shown and various aspects of his life less well known are presented, painting a holistic picture of his life and shooting of Reeva, allowing the viewer to bring together multiple sources to make up their own mind.

Amy Knowles

TV SHOW: Modern Love

Available on Amazon Prime.

Modern Love is a romantic comedy anthology consisting of eight approximately thirty minute long episodes, of which each one features an entirely new story and cast. Each individual episode is a screen adaptation of The New York Times’ Modern Love column, and the raw honesty of each storyline pulls firmly on the heartstrings. The cast is nothing short of star-studded, spotlighting everyone from Andrew Scott to Anne Hathaway, and every performance is as heartfelt and moving as the one previous. There is nothing I love more than love, and this series explores it in all of its glory and downfall, opening conversations about very real human issues along the way. This show discusses first love, old love, parental love, platonic love, love that isn’t working anymore and almost everything in between. It made me feel completely and unapologetically human. I could not recommend it more highly.

Mimi Joffroy

BOOK: Educated by Tara Westover

This captivating memoir tells the story of Tara Westover’s life growing up in a devout Mormon family in rural Idaho. She was not allowed to attend school, or go to the doctors, or participate in practically any part of normal society. Her father believed that the US federal government was out to kill people, and so raised Tara and her six siblings in an environment that was not dissimilar to that of a cult - they were under strict rules to obey their father and follow everything he stood for. This fascinating book reveals how, through the power of learning and reading, Tara was able to finally leave home and pursue her own education, where she eventually found herself studying at Cambridge. I highly recommend this memoir to anybody - it is a heart-warming, eye-opening and absolutely fascinating tale about family, education and finding one’s own place in the world.

Ellie Williamson